THOUGH the past two millenniums in the church field have shown many drastic changes in pastoral visitation, the essentials remain. The theme of God's own personal visitation with His people is found in the sacred text. Throughout the times of the patriarchs, kings, and prophets we find God constantly involving Himself with the affairs of men to the point of becoming a personal reality. Search as we may, we never find God hiding from His people behind an administrative-functional cloak or any organizational gimmick.
The symbols given in the tabernacle services—the fire by night and the pillar of smoke by day—constantly brought the people into remembrance of the actual presence of God. From the time of man's creation God has sought to give a distinct and clear image of His presence to man. Through His many prophets He brought a representative presence. After sin entered, God used His various prophets, priests, and pastors to keep before the minds of the people an awareness of His existence. It is of prime importance that we ever keep before the people the image and characteristics of the loving God. The methodology of this is obviously to make close personal contact with the people of God and with those to whom God wishes Himself to be revealed.
The great emotional upsurge that originates when one becomes personally involved with Christ, or the sudden stimulation occurring from the knowledge of prophecy fulfilled, becomes the binding link to God in the hands of a properly trained pastor.
In the time of Christ the Master walked with the people—in and among them—never excluding Himself as did the priests of that time. They were lost in an organizational form of systematics. Constantly they busied themselves with the details of administrative functioning, leaving out the person as an individual and as a child of God. Great emphasis was placed upon the dogma and a thousand and one minutiae came forth from the minds of these men who seemed dedicated to the encumbering of the law. The character they presented of God was indistinct and obscure because of their works. God was looked upon as a business accountant or a government functionary.
The Christ and His coming shattered all these concepts, not so much by His teachings as by the dynamics of human relationships. He involved Himself personally with each one He met, either by the wayside, in the home, or wherever He found a soul who needed the care and affection of a special someone. Our Master walked with a heart open to anyone who needed His personal help.
It has been stated by many expositors that it was Christ's personal concern for people that made His doctrine, or teaching, of such great significance. By the seaside with His disciples, in the house of some relative, at the marriage feast, or on the hillside, Jesus was there, mingling with the people, endeavoring to bring to them the love and security they needed to help them in the days of tumult that lay ahead.
When sending out His apostles two by two, Christ told them to go to every house and to visit every city. This was continued after the Master's death. Paul of Tarsus met and discussed the truths of God with people where they were—in the home where the women were doing the mundane tasks of the day; in the synagogue where the Holy Scriptures were read; in the market place where the commercial involvements of the day were to be settled; at the sinful places and before the temples of pagan gods. Paul met them where they were.
Traditional Church Visitation
In the early days there was not a set pattern, organization, or procedure in pastoral visitation. As the church grew it evolved traditions and procedures for personal work. The early church fathers, many of whom visited from home to home and from business to business, found it more and more to their advantage, as the churches grew and waxed rich, to set up various functions in the church to bring the personal touch to the people. Some of these churches brought it in symbolic language of rite and ceremony. The confession in the Roman church was to help the people talk face to face in what was hoped would be a personal relationship with a priest, and in turn with God.
More and more stilted and stagnant became the view of the priests and the early churchmen of the latter part of the first millennium after Christ's death. Constantly there were springing up orders of men and women who went from house to house, visiting and trying to bring cheer and encouragement to help the suffering and to allay the many fears that man's troubled conscience would bring him.
In the dark ages—as they might seem in doctrine and teaching—many bright lights did arise. Those were singular men and they believed in meeting the people where they were. Wycliffe, Jerome, Huss, Zwingle, and Luther were greatly involved in the needs of the individual. Some began translations of the Bible in the common tongue. This brought the people into a more personal relationship with God. Part of Martin Luther's ministry was his table talk with his various friends. He visited the people where they lived and observed their needs. It was these contacts that inspired him to translate the Bible into the German language.
Personal Visitation in Adventist History
At the beginning of the Advent Movement the believers went into the homes of the people and visited with them, bringing inspiration and stimulating a desire to study the Scriptures in an effort to find the truth. Our forefathers in this movement, like the early Methodist circuit riders, traveled for miles to take the gospel to the people in their homes and churches.
The glorious and blessed hope was brought, not only by literature but by those we call personal evangelists. Men and women, in the latter part of the 1800's and early 1900's especially, went from home to home giving and selling literature. In the writings of Ellen G. White continual reference is made to the needs of our brethren, admonishing us to seek out the sinner where he is, and to bring the gospel to the soul in need.
Pastoral Visitation Today
In our churches today, unfortunately, there has crept in a somewhat administrative and organizational concept that does not require much personal visitation. Yet those churches that show solid growth are usually those wherein the pastor visits his people.
There are two functions of the pastoral visit: One is general in nature; the other is specific. The first is to learn of the general needs and hopes of the various persons in the congregations. In this case the minister need not talk of any specific thing, but of general church and personal topics—the man's work, the wife's home problems, the hopes of the teen-ager attending academy or college. He can visit with the little child who wants to play and be friendly with his pastor, the young boy with the new car, the gardener raising flowers, et cetera. This general visitation is a wholesome setting for a warm and friendly relationship that in times of stress and need will bring the parishioner to his pastor, with whom he has an understanding relationship.
At all times the pastor must remember that he is their friend in Christ, that he is the shepherd of "the Shepherd's flock." It might seem to be idle chitchat, but it is not, for "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Now, it would seem that the implication here is that the general visit is made only in the home. It need not be. At school, at work, at play, or wherever the people may be found, is indeed a good place to visit. Sometimes the unusualness of a pastor showing up at school and talking with the children of the family, or at work, talking to the head of the family, impresses upon their hearts the great concern and care their pastor has for them, giving more security and hope than we sometimes realize.
How are we to visit? The instructions are simple. Be friendly, warm, and courteous. A pastor must love his people in spite of what the house might look like. He must show interest in the objects around the house, and the things that seem to be of most importance to those being visited.
Preparation for Visitation
The pastor will first make sure of his own personal relationship to God. The knowledge that he has received by experience and in school will enable him to communicate this personal relationship which he feels with his God. Without a close fellowship with the Lord the pastor would be unable to feed his flock, and the concerns and interests of the people might be overlooked.
When visiting, one should watch his personal habits—the nervous little habits that might tend to show tension. Don't chew gum—or fingernails. Avoid banging a pencil, flipping the pages of the Bible, or the shuffling of feet. He should be composed and calm, but not placid; interested, but not excited.
Last, and far from least, is the personal appearance of the pastor. He must be neat and clean, and he should remember particularly proper body hygiene.
Prayer previous to the call should be made, because we know we need God's help to focus our concern on the person, not just the problems of the church. In one of the classes I taught in a non-Adventist seminary, a young man brought to my attention the case of a prospective member whose wife had been a part of the pastor's congregation for many years. As we read their conversation we find the pastor's concerns and worries are more evident than those of this husband.
Husband: "Yes, pastor, I'm very interested in your church."
Pastor: "To be sure, my church is a growing church. It is true that the financial needs are great. This fact keeps me awake many times at night, for I am very concerned, and it makes me pray very much. I often pray to God that people will come in more fully, to encourage and strengthen us, and help us raise this church."
Husband: "Yes, I know, pastor. Last time you were here it was the same thing. I'm very sorry about it. I wish I could help, but we haven't much money."
Pastor: "Oh, don't get the idea I'm here for money. Oh, no, that is the farthest from the truth. I came here to visit you and talk of your interests."
We can see the pastor's hopes and aspirations, but how aware is he of the interest and concerns of the one he visits?
The best way to be interested in people is simply to be aware of what they feel, what they are trying to say to you—sometimes in statements that are not always clear. Trying to understand what the person is endeavoring to say, and what his need is, will increase the pastor's love and create a warm relationship between him and his parish, and he will see his congregation grow. This does not take dogma or doctrinal disputation, but rather a warm friendly interest, remembering always that the person who has a pastor who cares for him and who trusts him will in turn give trust and dedication to his church. Such trust is always mutual and never one-sided.
Time is short, and we know not what tomorrow may bring; but there is one thing that will continue throughout eternity, and that is the warm and personal friendly relationship that is started right here between us and our fellow men.
It is heaven to be personally involved with God. We can experience some of this heavenly relationship right here on earth, and bring it to those with whom we come in contact day by day. It will give strength at a time when the world is about to crumble, and security at a time when we know not what the next day might bring. Let us all do more personal visiting.
